Which RSSI level indicates poor wireless coverage?
Short answer
A 82dBm
Question
Key Takeaways
The exam checks whether you know that RSSI is always negative dBm and that more negative numbers mean weaker signals; the trap is choosing positive values or confusing magnitude with signal strength.
This Network+ question tests your ability to interpret RSSI values in a wireless site survey. Community consensus and CompTIA guidance confirm that RSSI is expressed in negative dBm, making -82 dBm the weak and undesirable reading.
Common mistake: Selecting a positive dBm value such as 42 or 63 because they look like 'strong' numbers. RSSI in Wi-Fi is typically negative, and positive values are not valid received signal measurements.
Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
A signal level of -82 dBm is well below the typical acceptable threshold for Wi-Fi, which generally should be at least -70 dBm for reliable performance. Comment [2] correctly notes that RSSI values are negative, with values closer to zero indicating stronger signals, making -82 dBm very weak. Comment [3] reinforces that signals in the -70 to -85 dBm range cause dropped connections and inconsistent performance, exactly what a site survey would flag as undesirable.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option B (-61 dBm) is a relatively strong and healthy Wi-Fi signal, typically considered good for everyday use. Options C and D (42 dBm and 63 dBm) are positive numbers; RSSI is measured in negative dBm in wireless networks, so these are not valid levels for this context. Positive values would not appear in a proper wireless site survey report.
Community Comment Notes
Comment [2] provides a concise and accurate rule: all RSSI values are negative, and the closer to 0, the stronger the signal. Comment [3] adds that -82 dBm falls in the range where connection instability is common. Comment [1] does not address the question content but reminds learners to study PBQs and the complete question bank; it is not useful for the specific technical answer.
Official Reference
This link opens the official vendor documentation in a new tab.
Exam Strategy
Memorize the RSSI scale: -50 to -65 dBm is excellent to good, -66 to -70 dBm is low but usable, and anything below about -75 dBm is poor or unreliable. When you see a dBm value on CompTIA questions, always check that it is negative and remember that more negative = weaker signal.
Community Votes
100% of anonymous learners picked answer A. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Discussion 4 contributions
Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.
From public community threads 4
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Zach123654 👍 17I passed today. I studied 1-852 until I felt good about it. Most of the questions I had were towards the end of this dump. Only two of the pbq questions I had were on here. I wouldn't haven't of passed without studying this whole thing though. Thanks to everyone and a public community thread for the help. Good luck to all. STUDY THOSE PBQS AND YOU CAN FIND THEM!
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TrebleSmith 👍 5 Answered AAll RSSI values will be negative, but the closer to 0, the stronger. In this case, -82dBm is going to be very weak, and what the tech is looking for
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Marinos_89 👍 2 Answered A-82dBm is considered a weak signal and can lead to connectivity issues, making it undesirable for reliable wireless network performance. Signals in the range of -70dBm to -85dBm can experience dropped connections, slow speeds, and inconsistent performance.
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dadba8c 👍 1A. What Flarga said.
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